The accident
by DISC JOCKEY DJ
Summary: Rachel gets into an accident. Will she survive? Please R&R.
1. The accident

BRIIIIIING BRIIIIIING!

"Hello? Oh, hi Rachel! What's up?" Asked Ross.

"I'm leaving work now." Rachel said.

"Ok. I'll start working on dinner then. See you in a few." Ross told Rachel.

"Ok. See you soon too." Rachel said to Ross.

Rachel gets into the car and heads for home. While driving, a really bad itch affects her left leg and scratches at it so it wouldn't bug her but slams into a car stopped for a traffic light due to the itch.

"Let's work on getting the people out of their respective cars so we can evaluate them." Firefighter Dan said to his partner.

"Rodger that." Firefighter Mike said.

"It looks like the person in the Lexus died due to the accident while the person in the Porsche is still alive but badly battered. Her breathing is shallow as well." said Firefighter Dan.

"Hmmmm. Ralph Lauren? I'll call them and let them know of the situation regarding their employee and maybe see if they could get a hold of somebody since I can't find a phone for this person." Firefighter Mike said.

"Good idea!" Firefighter Dan said.

Firefighter Mike calls Ralph Lauren to let them know the situation regarding one of their employees. Rachel's boss confirms that Rachel had left her cellphone there and calls Ross after hanging up with Firefighter Mike.

BRIIIIIING BRIIIIIING!

"Hello? Oh, Hi Kim! Did Rachel leave her cellphone at the office?" Ross questioned.

"Yes, but I have bad news! We got a call from the fire department saying that Rachel was involved in a car accident. It sounds like she slammed into the car in front of her which killed the driver instantly. She is en-route to the hospital right now." Rachel's boss Kim said.

"Oh my god! I'll be right over to pick up her phone. It's on the way to the hospital." Ross said.

"Ok. I'll be waiting in the parking lot." Kim said.

After the call, Ross halts dinner and proceeds to call Monica as Chandler was in Tulsa, Phoebe was at a funeral and Joey had a 23 episode season he had to film at Warner Bros studio.

BRIIIIIING BRIIIIIING!

"Hello? Oh hi Ross! What's up?" Monica asked.

"Rachel was just in a car accident and is en-route to the hospital now." Ross said.

"Oh my god, that's terrible!" Monica said.

"Yeah, I'll call the rest of the gang and at least let them know what's going on." Ross said.

"Ok. I'll come by and pick you up and head to the hospital together." Monica said.

"Sounds great, but we need to stop at Ralph Lauren to get Rachel's cell phone as she left it there." Ross said.

"Ok." said Monica.

After hanging up with Monica, Ross calls Chandler, Phoebe and Joey. Chandler and Phoebe were surprised at the news while Joey turned into a five minute convo with Monica walking in afterwards.

"Hey Joey? It's me Ross.

"Oh hi Ross! How you doin?"

"Not great. Rachel was involved in a car accident killing the driver in front of her instantly.' Ross explained.

"Oh my god! That's terrible! I've got something that will take your mind off of it." Joey said.

"What is it?" Ross asked

"Well, at 4 in the morning, we were filming for the TV show when we had to dance around in a fountain in front of the Warner Bros studios and boy that did not feel good since the temp was in the 30's for the shoot." Joey explained

"Oh wow! I can't believe they made you do that. What's the show called?" Ross said.

"Friends." Joey said

"Interesting!" Ross said.

After that talk, Monica arrived to pick up Ross and they headed to Ralph Lauren and then to the hospital.

"We've got a car accident victim named Rachel Karen Green here!" The ambulance crew said.

"Take her to trauma room 5 please." The doctor said.

"Hi! Could you tell me your full name please?" the doctor instructed.

"Rachel Karen Green." Rachel said.

"Could you tell me the events leading up to the accident?" The doctor instructed again.

"Well, All I remember was that I got a very uncomfortable itch and went to scratch at it so it wouldn't bug me and next thing I know, I'm in the hospital."

"Ok. Thanks Rachel." the doctor said.

The doctor examined Rachel for any external injuries and cuts and found lots of bruising and one small cut that could be bandaged. He then asked Rachel to move her arms and legs which she did successfully and also asked her some questions. Rachel then became agitated by the oxygen mask on her face and requested it off.

"Do I need this oxygen mask?" Rachel questioned.

"Yes you do. You told us your breathing was shallow so we put you on one to get you better." the doctor said.

"Oh, Ok." Rachel said.

"All right Rachel, We're gonna do some X-rays and a CT scan on you to see if you have any internal injuries. Your shallow breathing has me a little concerned." the doctor said.

"Ok." Said Rachel.

The doctors wheeled Rachel off for a cat-scan and an X-ray. She only had a broken arm as her most serious injury with it healing without surgery but the possibility of something else popping up was not out of the question.

Moments later, Monica and Ross arrive.

"Hello! I'm looking for my wife Rachel Karen Green. Is she here?" Ross said.

"Yes she is. I'll show you to her room." the receptionist said.

"Ok." said Ross.


	2. The recovery

Ross walked into Rachel's room to see her laying flat on a hospital bed with her arms pulled straight out, a blood pressure cuff on one and an IV and bracelet on the other plus a Pulse ox rested on her ring finger. Rachel also donned an oxygen mask on her face as well.

"Ross." Rachel said through her oxygen mask.

"What is it?" Ross asked.

"This is all my fault. Had the itch not happened, I wouldn't be here and that person would still be alive." Rachel said.

"It's not your fault honey. You can't control when an itch is going to occur. I'm sure the family of the driver you hit will understand." Ross said.

After that, the family of the dead driver walked into Rachel's room.

"Hi! I heard you rear-ended our daughter today. I'm not mad at you nor am I asking for your insurance info as you can't control when an itch is going to happen and when it does., you just get compelled to scratch it right then and there. I get it! I've had that experience before as well. I am a founder of an anti itch company so I'm going to give you a beta supply of our best anti itch cream. Let me know of any side effects and how it works at this number." said the girl's father.

"Thank you. I'll be sure to put this on before any car rides and let you know how it works and also of the side effects as well." Rachel said.

"Your welcome." The guy said before he walked out.

"Hey Ross? Can me and Rachel have a few minutes please?" Monica asked.

"Yeah sure, go on ahead." Ross said.

"How are you feeling Rachel? And what is that thing on your face?" Monica asked.

"Weak and tired. I have a broken arm but it will heal without surgery. The thing on my face is my oxygen mask. They gave it to me to help with my breathing." Rachel explained.

"I bet. Glad you don't need surgery. That's what that clear thing on your face is. I had no idea it did all that. So, is the broken arm it then?" Monica said.

"Well, they did say that there was a chance something else could happen so they're keeping me for a few days just to be safe." Rachel explained.

"Ah ok." Monica said.

After a while Monica leaves with Ross staying behind however, a crisis is about to unfold.

BEEP BEEP BEEP!

"RACHEL!? RACHEL!?" Ross yelled.

Rachel was straining for every breath but couldn't do it. Rachel had a collapsed lung and had to be placed on life support as her oxygen saturation wasn't good. Ross was finally allowed to see his wife in the ICU but broke down over the site he saw as Rachel had many tubes and wires coming from her body. Rachel had multiple IV's in her arm, a blood pressure cuff, a pulse ox and a tube coming from her mouth which was keeping Rachel alive.

"Hi Ross. We'll be lucky if Rachel gets extubated tomorrow but my hunch is she will need to remain on the ventilator for the rest of the week until she can breathe on her own. She will probably wake up tomorrow but will probably be agitated due to the tube down her throat. All you can really do is comfort her and let her know that you love her although she won't be able to talk for the time being." the doctor said.

"Ok. I'll make note of these." Ross said.

Afterwords, the doctor left and Ross pulled up a chair and sat next to his unconscious wife Rachel and began stroking her hair.

"I love you Rachel." Ross said as he was stroking her hair.

The next day Rachel woke up but was very agitated by the tube coming out of her mouth and her inability to talk. Ross reassured Rachel that everything would be all right before placing a kiss on her forehead.

"Everything's gonna be all right Rachel. You'll do just fine." Ross said as he planted a kiss on Rachel's forehead.

Rachel wanted to respond to the kiss but couldn't due to the tube in her throat preventing her from talking so she shed a tear. Rachel was allowed to be extubated on Monday. The doctor asked Rachel some questions but all she was able to do was nod to them. After showing that she could breathe on her own, Rachel had the breathing tube removed and was placed on an oxygen mask. Rachel felt relieved that she could speak again.

"Hey Ross? I had this strangest dream that I was in the hospital and that I couldn't talk. You were there along with Monica." explained Rachel.

"That wasn't a dream! It was real." explained Ross.

"What happened?" Rachel wondered.

"You had a collapsed lung and had to be placed on life support to stabilize your breathing. You also became very agitated when you woke up." Ross explained.

"I remember that and I also remember having a tube coming out of my mouth as well." Rachel said.

"Yep. That was your breathing tube. It was there to help you breathe. It also prevented you from talking which aggravated you." Ross said.

"That explains why I couldn't talk." Rachel said.

"Yep." said Ross.

"Hi Rachel. How are you feeling?" The doctor said.

"Good!" Exclaimed Rachel.

"That's great. You should be able to go home tomorrow Rachel." the doctor said.

"Great!" Rachel exclaimed.

The next day, Rachel Green was released from the hospital and Joey, Chandler and Phoebe returned from their respective trips as well.


End file.
